wildbill@ucbvax.ARPA (William J. Laubenheimer) (03/12/85)
Regarding the use of double in the auction 1x-y-z-dbl as responsive:
As many people have already pointed out, this is a nonstandard treatment.
The place to mark it on your convention card is under "Special Doubles/
Responsive". List the level to which it applies and note that it applies
regardless of whether responder's bid is a raise (this is the standard
definition of "responsive double).
Another alternative for this double, which I use in many partnerships,
is the so-called Rosenkranz double. According to the original definition,
this double shows a raise of y with one or more of the A, K, or Q of y,
while the direct raise denies any of those cards (this may be reversed
by partnership agreement - some wags around here denote this variation
"Guildenstern"). The advantages of making this distinction are that it
is easier for partner to evaluate his hand for competitive and sacrifice
purposes, and partner also has a better idea of whether it is right
to lead his suit, or how to reach your hand or establish tricks on
defense. It also wins on frequency of use vs. the responsive treatment.
WARNING: Do NOT use double as responsive in the auction 1x-dbl-y-dbl,
or responder will bid y on his 3 count with xx in y and a reasonable
retreat to x or another suit of his own, and then watch you play in
your 4-2 fit in z instead of your 5-4 fit in y. This double is best
played as "I have y - responder may have psyched". Remember, either
the takeout doubler has y, or a very good hand (using most normal
methods, anyway). If he has y, he passes and the villain is exposed;
otherwise, responder may have been telling the truth, but you haven't
lost anything and bidding can proceed normally.
Bill Laubenheimer
----------------------------------------UC-Berkeley Computer Science
...Killjoy went that-a-way---> ucbvax!wildbill
Remember: You can always tell a bridge player, but you can't tell him much!